Call Kurtis: Engine Company in Question

Dozens of customers say they paid hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars for car engines they never received. Rising Sun Engines has an ‘F’ rating and an alert out from the Better Business Bureau. The business owner responded to CBS13 after customers say they’ve been ignored.

“I want my money back,” said Reginald Martin.

Specifically, Martin wants the $750 back he put down at Rising Sun Engines for a rebuilt engine in January 2012. But he says he couldn’t get a hold of the Chico business to make arrangements to pay the other half and get his engine.

“I think they gave me a call back once. I answered the phone and they hung up,” said Martin.

After two or three months of daily calls, Martin says he gave up.

“I think this company should be shut down and whoever’s doing this should be in jail,” said Martin.

He is one of 141 people from across the country who have complained about Rising Sun Engines to the BBB in the past three years. Many ordered online.

One consumer writes:

“I sent him a check for $995.00 by United Parcel Services. He paid for overnight delivery service. I thought that was weird because it would have been easier to put it on a credit card.”

The company now has an ‘F’ rating and an alert, telling people about the pattern of complaints similar to Martin’s.

“It’s a real problem. It looks like the company doesn’t intend to deliver,” said the BBB’s Gary Almond.

Almond says Rising Sun is not only ignoring its customers, but also the BBB when they call trying to resolve complaints.

“We’ve done really above and beyond work to try to get these customers some satisfaction,” said Almond.

CBS13 called Rising Sun. The owner, Steve Keplinger, told us he got behind on orders and he’s working to resolve the problems. After we got involved, he says they sent Martin a refund check and said he’d address the complaints with the BBB.

Keplinger told us he’d give Martin a full refund, but Martin says he got a check for just $500. Keplinger says that’s what he has on record for Martin paying. CBS13 sent Keplinger a copy of Martin’s invoice, which shows the $750 payment.

Martin has learned to be a more vigilant consumer.

“I want to see it in my hands before I even give you any money anymore. You know, this is not ever going to happen to me again,” said Martin.

There are also a couple Stockton addresses affiliated with Rising Sun Engines, one of which is in a home an up-scale, gated community. That home is owned by John Steven Keplinger, the same name of the man who owns Rising Sun.